19 December 2001 - 28 July 2002

Visitors to Spinning around: 50 years of Festival Records were able to discover the amazing story of Festival Records, Australia's oldest independent record company, which grew from humble beginnings to become a major force in Australia's music industry.

From the 1950s through to the cutting-edge sounds of 2001, the Festival story put the spotlight on the unique character of Australian popular music and the amazing achievements of a star-studded industry.

Hear the hits! Check out the hairdos! This fascinating collection from the vaults and recording studios of Festival Mushroom Records brought together for the first time the costumes, the covers, the labels, the gold records and the songs -- old and new!

Visitors were able to discover Festival's role in bringing rock 'n' roll to Australia; the magic of 'the Wild One', Johnny O'Keefe; the story of the Bee Gees before they hit the big time; the style secrets of Skyhooks and Sherbet; the whirlwind success stories of Olivia and Kylie; the heyday of '80s rock; and what's happening now in the Australian music scene … all part of the Festival story.

Powerhouse Publications
Spinning around: the Festival Records story

Teachers notes (pdf document 911k)
Activity pack 1 for students of design, history and fashion (pdf document 808k)
Activity pack 2 for students of music, music history and recording technology (pdf document 788k)

Noisy, colourful and highly interactive, the exhibition featured historic recordings, rare and classic video footage, and a behind-the-scenes look at the recording industry from the days of vinyl to compact disc. You could play instruments, try your hand at the mixing desk, burn your own CD from a collection of favourite Festival hits -- and lots more.

Spinning around: 50 years of Festival Records
An exhibition developed by the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, in association with Festival Mushroom Records and ScreenSound Australia. Sponsored by Nine Network Australia. Supported by Samsung Electronics Australia, Talk Radio 2UE 954am

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